Paphos bus drivers threaten strike

TRANSPORT workers in Paphos yesterday threatened a two-hour strike today unless ministers take their complaints seriously.
Paphos transport organisation (OSYPA) spokesman Yiorgos Nicolaou said ‘dynamic action’ would be taken if the management of the company refuse to rethink their approach to workers problems.
At a general meeting, the problems being faced by bus drivers and other staff members of OSYPA were discussed.
It emerged that the main problem was that it was refusing to hire staff that were union members.
Nicolaou said: ’‘Even though assurances were given to the minister of transport by the company that they would apply the union agreements, which were supposed to operate on a pancyprian basis, it seems that the companies of each district did not accept this, and have insisted on having different agreements with staff according to the varying districts.”
He added that the agreements were put in place on July 5, the day in which the new companies commenced operation.
But, according to Nicolaou, there has been an abuse of the agreements by the company in Paphos.
He claims that OSYPA also insists that new staff sign personal contracts, which mean they are not covered by union collective agreements, and that these contracts do not allow for the creation of permanent positions after a worker had completed a year’s service.
“This also means workers are missing out on the usual benefits which go with a permanent position,” he said.
Nicolaou also claims that prior to commencement of the bus service, the company had agreed they would be responsible for the cleaning of the busses. But he says this hasn’t happened in the last three months.
“As a result of this inaction, drivers are obliged to clean the buses in their free time and without payment,” he added.
The Unions of SEK and PEO have sent a written letter informing the ministers of labour and transport that if their demands are not satisfied by today, that they will hold a two-hour stoppage between 12 noon and 2pm.

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